From North to South
by suzie2b
Summary: Troy sends Hitch and Tully to meet an operative and, yep, they find trouble.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **From North to South**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **Sergeant Troy had made a decision as they headed for the town of Dakhla to drop off the film that held the surveillance photographs they had spent the last week taking along with a report on enemy activity in that sector. He had Hitch pull into a wadi to take a break.**

 **Moffitt and Tully got out of their jeep and met Troy and Hitch. Moffitt said, "We're only an hour from Dakhla. Why are we stopping?"**

 **Troy replied, "Change of plans." He held up the manila envelope that contained the film and report. "I want Hitch and Tully to take this to our operative."**

 **The two privates looked at each other in surprise, then back at Troy and Hitch asked, "Just us?"**

 **The sergeant nodded with a slight smile. "Just you. It'll do you both some good. Who's driving?"**

 **Troy and Moffitt looked on with mild amusement as Hitch and Tully decided who was going to drive by doing rock, paper, scissors—best two out of three. At the end it was Hitch who would drive into Dakhla.**

 **Troy handed the envelope to Tully and told them, "You go into Dakhla, drop this with our operative, Omar, at the bakery. He'll know what to do with it. Then you come straight back here. No stopping for anything … got it?"**

 **Tully put the envelope in his jacket as he got into the jeep. "Got it, sarge."**

 **Hitch nodded with a grin as he said, "Don't worry. We've got it covered."**

 **The sergeants watched the jeep as it headed out and Moffitt said, "I'm surprised you decided to send them, Troy. I know they don't do it intentionally, but trouble does seem to find them on occasion when they're on their own."**

 **Troy chuckled quietly. "Well, Dakhla is pretty safe. I like to remind them now and then that I trust them with more than just the jeeps. They should be back in two or three hours and then we can head back to base."**

 **Moffitt smiled. "Why don't I brew up some tea? Or would you prefer coffee?"**

" **Coffee would be great. Thanks."**

 **####################################**

 **Hitch and Tully got to Dakhla without a problem. They went to the bakery and asked the girl working there for Omar. She went into the back and moments later reappeared with the middle-aged, rotund Arab. He smiled when he saw the privates and said, "It is good to see you, my friends. I have been expecting you. Come with me."**

 **Omar led Hitch and Tully into the back where he made the bakery items he sold. "Where are your sergeants?"**

 **As they passed through the kitchen into Omar's living quarters, Hitch replied, "We were sent on our own."**

" **They must trust you very much."**

" **We like to think so."**

 **When they were sure they were alone Tully pulled the envelope from his jacket and handed it to Omar. "Troy said you'd know what to do with this."**

 **Omar took it with a nod. "Yes. I will deliver it tonight." He went to a wall hanging and moved it aside to reveal a hole. As he placed the envelope inside and let the wall hanging fall back into place, he said, "It will be safe here until then."**

 **Hitch said, "Okay, we'd better get going."**

 **Omar led them back into the kitchen and stopped to put four fresh Khubz Mohala into a cloth bag. He handed it to Tully. "I know how much you all enjoy this. It is on the house."**

 **Tully smiled as he got a whiff of the sweet Arabic bread. "Thanks, Omar." Back at the jeep, he stowed the bag safely in the back as he asked, "Want me to drive back?"**

 **Hitch shook his head. "Nah, I'm good."**

 **Halfway back to the wadi and Sergeants Troy and Moffitt, the jeep sputtered, made a clunking sound, and came to a halt.**

 **####################################**

 **Troy paced around the jeep, concern and anger etched into his face. "I told them to come straight back. You heard me say it."**

 **Moffitt sat in the jeep. "I heard you say it, Troy. I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation as to why they're an hour overdue."**

" **There'd better be."**

" **How long are you going to give them?"**

 **Troy said, "Another hour. Then we'll go look for them."**

 **####################################**

 **Tully had his head under the hood trying to figure out what was wrong with the jeep. Hitch stood in the back keeping watch and asked, "Find anything?"**

 **Tully replied, "Not yet. Fuel line's clear. Could be a rod or a valve … or both. Either way it's not good."**

" **Want me to see if I can raise Troy and Moffitt on the radio?"**

 **Tully straightened up and looked at his friend. "Might be a good idea. My tools and spare parts are in the other jeep."**

 **Hitch sat down on the radio and started to reach for the antenna when something caught his eye. He looked up as he grabbed the binoculars. A quick check and he said, "We've got company."**

" **Friendly?"**

" **Can't tell."**

 **####################################**

 **Moffitt stopped the jeep when he was alongside the other one. The hood was up, the 50 caliber, and machine guns were gone. Troy slid behind the wheel and tried to start the jeep, but it wouldn't turn over. He got out with a sigh and said, "What do you think? If the jeep died and they started walking, we should've seen them before we got here."**

 **Moffitt started to go through the back. "There are tire tracks that don't belong to the jeep and the ammunition is missing as well as the guns. Someone must have picked them up."**

 **Troy nodded. "I wonder if they were able to drop off the package."**

 **Moffitt pulled the cloth bag out and looked inside. "I have no doubt that they did." When Troy looked at him questioningly, he smiled. "Omar makes the best Khubz Mohala in North Africa."**

 **Troy smiled slightly. "Well, that's a plus anyway. Let's take what we can salvage and go find our men."**

 **####################################**

 **It was afternoon, the sun was starting its downward trek to the horizon, when the truck stopped. Blindfolds were removed and the two Americans blinked in the sudden light. Their ankles were untied and they were pulled to their feet. An angry voice outside said, "Get them out here!"**

 **Hitch and Tully were pushed to the opening. With their hands tied behind them they were helped down to stand before a large, very black man, who looked around at the group of men unloading the truck and shouted, "We do not need men! Why did you bring them?"**

 **One of them stepped forward and said, "They were stranded with their vehicle broken, Akani. They did not put up a fight and we did not feel a need to kill them."**

" **And what do you propose we do with them, Banele?" The man shrugged silently and Akani raised a hand as if to strike him. When Banele shrank away, Akani said, "Get back to work." He looked Hitch and Tully up and down. "Two American GIs. What am I going to do with you?"**

 **Hitch said, "How about you let us go?"**

 **Akani smiled, showing his white teeth. "That is not likely. You will come with me." When they didn't move his smile faded. "If you do not follow me now, I will have no qualms about killing you where you stand."**

 **Hitch and Tully looked at each other, then followed Akani to a tent full of guns, ammunition, and grenades. He pointed to the ground at the foot of two tent poles and told them to sit. They lowered themselves awkwardly to the ground and Hitch asked, "Are you gunrunners?"**

 **Akani sat on a stool a few feet away, facing them. "I suppose it would not hurt to tell you since you will not have a chance to repeat it. We are part of the Tswana tribe."**

 **Tully said, "South Africa?"**

" **You are a smart man. Yes, South Africa. We are here to collect what we need to fight for our people and lands."**

 **Hitch said, "I thought South Africa was fighting with the allies?"**

 **Akani stood and began to pace. "Not all of us believe in this war. The Tswana are fighting both the Germans and your allies. We will drive you all out. We will have what is rightfully ours again."**

" **So you've come to North Africa to steal weapons?"**

" **Yes. It is the only way we can get what we need. We cannot fight against guns with our spears and arrows."**

 **Tully said, "You can't win a war with guns you don't know how to use."**

 **Akani turned and said angrily, "You do not understand! We will learn! There is no other way!" Then he tied them to the poles and stormed out.**

 **####################################**

 **Troy and Moffitt arrived on a bluff above the camp. The first thing they noticed was the fact that every man there was black. Even darker than their friends of the 36** **th** **Infantry—Eugene, Leon, Joseph, and Clarence.**

 **Troy questioned, "American?"**

 **Moffitt shook his head. "I would hazard a guess that they're from South Africa."**

 **Troy frowned. "What are they doing here?"**

" **Depends on what's stored in those tents and trucks. Do you think Tully and Hitch are there?"**

 **Troy watched as a large caliber machine gun was hauled out of a truck. "If that's our missing 50, I'd say they are."**

 **They watched as guns, boxes of ammo, and grenades were unloaded to be stored in the three tents that were set up. Moffitt observed, "They apparently aren't expecting visitors. They haven't bothered with any guards."**

 **Troy nodded. "If we go in fast and take 'em by surprise, hopefully we won't have to do much damage."**

 **####################################**

 **Hitch and Tully pulled against the ropes that held them. When his wrists became sore, Tully stopped and looked around. "They've got quite a stockpile here. And there's two more tents. Wonder if they're just as full." Hitch remained silent, and Tully asked, "You all right?"**

 **Hitch nodded as he concentrated on his hands. "I'm fine. Just trying to reach the matches in my pocket." As he stretched he fingers and shifted his hips, he said, "I kept 'em after lunch the other day. Thought they might come in handy." Finally Hitch's fingers dipped into his back pocket and he was able to pull out the book of matches. Triumphant, he grinned and said, "Got 'em!"**

 **Hitch quickly pulled one match from the book and lit it. Then he lit the entire book. The flames were burning through the heavy rope when he and Tully heard the sound of a jeep and a 50 caliber. There was suddenly a lot of yelling outside and a few rifle shots could be heard.**

 **Tully watched his friend anxiously. "Hurry, Hitch!"**

 **He pulled as the rope burned and grimaced as the flames licked against his skin. "Doing … the best … I can."**

 **Suddenly there was a snap and Hitch was free. He quickly went to Tully and pulled a penknife out of his shirt pocket as he mumbled, "Sure glad those guys didn't really search us."**

 **Hitch had just freed Tully when one of the South Africans charged into the tent. He hesitated when he saw that the two Americans were loose, but chose to grab a couple of grenades instead of stopping them. As he turned to run out, he pulled the pin on one of them. 50 caliber bullets cut him down before he could throw it and as he fell back, the grenade rolled free. Hitch and Tully weren't quite out the door when it blew up and caused the munitions inside to explode. This caused the other two tents to explode as well.**

 **The two privates were propelled forward like ragdolls. They hit the ground hard, their backs smoldering.**

 **All fighting ceased after that. Out of the twenty or so South Africans that had been there only three were left alive, and they laid down their weapons. Troy kept the 50 trained on the prisoners as Moffitt rushed to check on Hitch and Tully.**

 **After making sure that neither of them were on fire, Moffitt turned them onto their backs.**

 **Troy took a machine gun out of its holster as he climbed out of the jeep. He walked up to the survivors and said, "What in the heck did you think you were doing?"**

 **Akani held his head high. "We intended to take the weapons back to our tribe. We wish to arm ourselves against the war."**

 **Troy shook his head. "Stealing isn't the way to do it. Your government declared war on Germany in 1939 and Italy in 1940. The best thing you can do is join your army there and be taught how to use the weaponry they'll supply you with. You lost some good men here today. It could've been avoided." He stared at the three men for a short time, then said, "Take one of the trucks and go home."**

" **You are letting us go?"**

" **What good would it do to arrest you?"**

 **Akani bowed slightly. "Thank you."**

 **####################################**

 **As the truck drove away, Troy joined Moffitt. "How are they?"**

 **Moffitt glanced at Troy as he said, "Lucky. A few minor burns and cuts. Mild concussions."**

 **Tully stirred and groaned as he opened his eyes. He looked up at the sergeant. Moffitt's mouth was moving, but he didn't hear any words. Then Tully noticed a rather loud buzzing sound in his ears. He put his hands to his ears and shouted, "I can't hear!" His eyes grew large as he realized he couldn't even hear himself.**

 **Moffitt held a finger to his lips to let him know he should be quiet. "Troy, there's a pad in the map bag. Would you get it and a pen please?"**

 **As Troy hurried toward the jeep, Tully asked loudly, "Where's Hitch? Is he okay?"**

 **Moffitt pointed to their friend as he was just beginning to wake up. Troy returned with the pad and pen. Moffitt took it and quickly wrote, "You'll both be fine." Then he showed it to Tully.**

" **Why can't I hear? All I hear is a loud buzzing!"**

 **Moffitt quickly wrote, "First, stop shouting. Second, the explosion has caused temporary hearing lose."**

 **Hitch groaned as he put his hands to his ears and said loudly, "What's wrong with my ears? What's with the buzzing?" Moffitt rolled his eyes and showed him the note. "Shouting? Who's shouting?"**

 **Troy chuckled. "All right. Let's go find a place to hold up for the night and get these two cleaned up."**

 **####################################**

 **Morning came and Moffitt gently shook Tully awake. He helped the private sit up slowly and showed him a note that read, "How are you feeling?"**

 **Tully said loudly, "Head hurts some! I still can't hear!"**

 **Moffitt smiled as he pulled Tully to his feet. They went over to the fire, where Tully sat next to Hitch and said—loudly, "You okay?"**

 **Hitch shouted, "What? I can't hear you!"**

 **Troy couldn't help but grin as he handed the two privates coffee and Khubz Mohalas for breakfast as he said to Moffitt, "We'd better get them back to base before every German in the desert hears them."**

 **Moffitt handed out aspirin and said, "Things do get interesting when it comes to these two."**

 **Hitch and Tully looked from one sergeant to the other, watching their mouths move and not hearing anything. They said in unison, and quite loudly, "WHAT?"**


End file.
